You may say snob, I say expert and so do the people I've done work for and it's just a hobby to me.
I've been to a lot of concerts and I don't remember any Bose speakers. I've heard cars that were Bose equipped and they sounded lousy. Not just bad but it sounded like they boosted the mids and attenuated the bass and treble, it just sounded bad and I've heard it in more than one car model. Bose is overpriced and really under performing.
I've got a CD player in my car but it sounds better if you rip a MP3 at a high sampling rate and play it that way. There was actually a car that came with a turntable. This isn't the one I was thinking of since I think it was a Lincoln that had it but this is pretty cool:
Does the guy in the ad look like Alec Baldwin's dad?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0hRzEihsR4
Next thing people will be talking about how their $100 audio cables sound so much better than what you can get at Radio Shack.
Here's another example of where speakers matter. If I understand it right Joe Walsh's trademark sound is obtained by his use of 8" speakers no one else uses. It only makes sense if a person liked Walsh's music having 8" speakers included in your speaker system would greatly enhance it.
Personally I prefer older speaker systems with multiple range speakers in the cabinet at least three but prefer five. One of my prize possessions as a teen in the 1970's was a set of speakers my uncle had made up and gave to me with five to each cabinet. They could be driven by a small transistor radio or later by my 100 watt stereo system. They had no preamp.
Different size speakers, different brands, and differing magnets and material etc will give different sounds that is a given fact. A Bose sound system is basically a compromise in that respect. Standing alone if it's all you have it will sound great. IOW it sure beats nothing IMO. My Mom has a Bose CD player and speakers in her Tahoe and yea I like popping in a CD when I'm taking it to fuel it up for her. For a vehicle system it has good sound. Mowing I use an MP3 player with ear buds and shooters head set. By no means great quality but it breaks the monotony of mowing.
In the house I have my component system. I have a turntable, CD, and tuner. I also have a true full size speaker system hooked to it. I do like Vinyl but I also like the portability of either CD or MP3 outside the house. Also some of my vinyl is now damaged after years of use and CD's is the easiest to obtain replacement.
I use a MP3 player on highest rate going through a Cassette adapter on the factory player that came with the truck in 1995. For a vehicle setting it's OK.
I love the miniaturization of BOSE sound systems. People bought them and then donated their older sound system especially the larger speaker systems to thrift stores where I have scored $500 plus range pair of speakers for $25 a set :>} Now that makes me happy happy happy LOL.